


Ardor

by Dawn_Blossom



Series: Chrobinweek2020 and it's still all Chrom/Grima [6]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: Blood, M/M, making out on the battlefield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:40:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27175346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawn_Blossom/pseuds/Dawn_Blossom
Summary: Grima performs Ardent Sacrifice on Chrom. The Falchion user didn't need it.[Chrobin Week 2020: Day - Prompt: Recovery]
Relationships: Chrom/Gimurei | Grima, Chrom/My Unit | Reflet | Robin
Series: Chrobinweek2020 and it's still all Chrom/Grima [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1978069
Comments: 5
Kudos: 46





	Ardor

**Author's Note:**

> I found a draft of this fic idea from like... 2 years ago... but I never developed it (I assume it's because I developed my Chrom/Grima in Askr series instead, and it features a different Chrom and Grima).
> 
> Anyway... in my game, Grima's running Ardent Sacrifice. This is because he used to be my only good unit, so he had to train and support everyone else. And then I just kept the skill. It makes for interesting plays sometimes. But also, the autobattle ai used to love spamming it for some reason??? Lol, Grima's overzealous destructive healing. (My Grima's also running Armored Boots, so the hp loss slows him down a lot... a true sacrifice asdfghjkl)

Grima performs every task he is given with frightening intensity. When he speaks, his words strike like lightning. In quiet moments, he still rolls through the castle like lightning. Even when it comes to his _cooking,_ you can taste the ash. On the battlefield, he is an entire storm.

Chrom doesn’t quite know how he ended up on the same arena team as him. Grima normally avoids the other heroes from Ylisse.

Or… is it simply that the others avoid him? He looks so much like the Robin they all know and love that it is painful to see him now. Grima remembers nothing of what happened in Ylisse; he could not even begin to explain anything now. Not that he would, anyway. He hates humans.

But while everyone else seems to focus on all the things _their_ Robin would _never_ do, Chrom can’t help but see all the similarities. His mind for strategy, his relentless drive, his sharp smile when the enemies flee…

Chrom is drawn to him. Memories or no, fell dragon or not, he still feels a connection.

Is it really such a betrayal of his homeland if he thinks the fell dragon is beautiful? If he can’t keep his eyes off either the scales or the man beneath them? If he gets distracted sometimes, mesmerized even in the heat of battle…

“Chrom, what are you doing back here?” Grima’s voice interrupts his thoughts. “Don’t tell me someone like you is avoiding a fight…”

“Er, no…” Chrom rubs his arm sheepishly. “I was just…”

But Grima catches sight of the gashes near his elbow before Chrom can explain.

“You’re injured?” Grima’s eyes blaze. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“It’s nothing, Chrom says. Having Grima’s gaze fixed on him is exhilarating, but the intensity is truly uncalled for this time. “I just need a few minutes to—”

“We have no time for that!” Grima growls.

Slamming his hands on Chrom’s shoulders, he pulls Chrom close.

“Damned worms,” he mutters.

Then, suddenly, he kisses Chrom.

No… Kissing isn’t the word for it. Grima tears into his own tongue with his teeth. The tang of blood nearly sends Chrom reeling, but Grima’s tight grip holds him steady. Chrom cannot spit it out with Grima’s mouth still covering his, and as the blood trickles down his throat, his wounds begin to fade away.

This technique… They call it “Ardent Sacrifice,” and it trades a bit of one hero’s health to restore another’s. Chrom has never heard of it being performed like this, but… perhaps this is just Grima’s way, and he does not know how to use anything but force, even when healing.

“Er, that… wasn’t necessary,” Chrom says instead of the thanks he ought to give. But Grima’s skill has left him with the impression of being kissed senseless. “You hurt yourself…”

“The enemies can barely touch me,” Grima says. “My defenses are still intact. But you… we cannot afford to have you retreat.”

“But…” Chrom frowns. “I…”

Beside him, the Falchion glows. A pulse of healing energy flows through Chrom’s body. The last minor bruises on his skin fade away completely, as though he had never been injured at all.

Grima watches all this with an unreadable expression.

“Oh...” he mutters. “I forgot about your weapon’s little trick…”

“I’m sorry,” Chrom says. “I should have mentioned it before you…”

Chrom winces. Grima doesn’t appear visibly wounded with his tongue hidden inside his mouth, but it’s clear that his energy is starting to run low. His breath is just slightly too ragged, his movements just slightly too sluggish. It won’t stop him from retaliating viciously should anyone attack him, but that isn’t the point.

Chrom grips his sword in one hand and grabs Grima’s arm with the other.

“Stay behind me, Grima,” he says. “Since you paid the price to heal me, I’ll defend you.”

Grima sneers.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he says. “You think I need your help? I’m the one who always has to save YOU.”

“Then let me return the favor today,” Chrom says.

“… What?”

The other heroes avoid Grima. No one tries to protect him.

Chrom thinks someone should.

No, not just “someone.” _He_ should.

Grima laughs dismissively.

“You don’t have to pretend to be so noble in front of me,” he says. “False manners mean nothing.”

“I’m not pretending,” Chrom says. “I want to help you! You have a bad reputation, but you can't hide your behavior on the battlefield. You’d tear even yourself apart for your allies…”

“For my ‘allies’? Look around, Chrom, do you see anyone else close to me?” Grima scowls. “The only one who acts like I’m an ally is you.”

“For me, then…” Chrom says.

Grima seems to realize that he has only made the moment more intimate. Chrom’s hand is still on his arm, and neither of them are posed to pull away.

“Don’t get the wrong idea,” Grima says. “You’re useful to me… It’s only natural that I ensure your safety at my side.”

“And it’s natural that I keep you safe as well,” Chrom says. “That is how bonds—”

“Don’t,” Grima snarls, “talk about such petty things as bonds. Humans only stay bound when it suits them.”

Of course he would say something like that… Grima doesn’t trust humans. But even so…

“That’s not true,” Chrom says. “This bond between us… Nothing can break it. Not even traveling through time and space.”

“Is that what you think?” Grima scoffs. “You do realize that I don’t remember a damned thing about this supposedly precious bond we have…”

“So what?” Chrom asks. “I can't stop watching you! Your heart is still the same! Your ardor may frighten everyone else, but I know what your passion is worth… “

“Oh, really?” Grima chuckles as he calls what he assumes is Chrom’s bluff.

“Really!” Chrom insists.

Then, dropping his sword to the ground, Chrom does something a bit reckless.

This time it truly is a kiss. If any hint of blood remains in their mouths, Chrom doesn’t register it as he tries to convey to Grima all the strength of his own passion.

He attempts to come up with some further argument for why this is right, but it’s impossible to think straight. Grima won’t let him say anything anyway; he barely allows him brief respites for breath before forcing their lips together again.

Ardor, indeed. But Chrom knows that body, knows he can push it harder—

“Ah… Ahem?”

Grima nearly blasts the intruder before realizing it’s Kiran.

“No, no, you don’t have to stop,” their commander says. “Just thought I’d tell you we won this round. You can go home whenever you want. Or… not.”

Chrom and Grima say nothing as Kiran proceeds to slip away. And rather quickly, too.

After a moment, Grima breaks the silence with a frustrated growl.

“If we do that in front of the enemy,” he says, “we will die.”

“Yeah,” Chrom says dazedly. “Better save it for the castle.”


End file.
